Summer 1955
by Abbie Blizzard
Summary: Jump back in time to the summer of 1955. Two Hogwarts Founders Artifacts are missing, The Knights of Walpurgis are on the rise and Muggleborns are rioting in the streets. It's in days like these that the mysterious disappearance of a squib, Sandra Smith and an obscurial, Margo Riddle are easily overlooked. And Tom Marvolo Riddle is making sure of it!
1. Aurors, Pranks and Muggles

**My first Harry Potter Fic! **

**First of all, I would like you all to know that this story will try to be canon-compliant (up to a point) I take no ownership of the world and characters of J.K. Rowling. They are all her's, not mine. (I'm just borrowing them) **

**Shout-out: SophieDark, my Co-writer/Beta :) I could not have written this without your help! xxx**

**Enjoy!**

Look, I never wanted to be a witch.

After all, who in their right mind wanted to grow up to be a wicked old hag who was destined to be killed by her victims? No one, that's who!

In every bedtime story I was told, they were the evil villain out for the hero's blood.

They violated nature with their magic and sort to destroy all that was good in the world for nothing but amusement. The prince or princess would always fall prey to their cunning. Whether it be a hypnotic spell, a vile potion, cursed fruit or a vicious hex, witches always found a way to torture and kill the innocent before they were destroyed.

If said bedtime stories had the witch as the hero, they were more often than not selfish, stupid or plain manipulative. A poor unsuspecting muggle would approach them for help and they would turn them away like it was their own fault they were born without powerful magic. Even the relatively kind ones were still selfish about keeping things for themselves.

Meanwhile, everyone else suffered from their lack of sharing habits.

'But Sandy!' You say, 'What about the good witches?'

To that, I ask, 'When have any of the "good" witches used their magic when it was best for the hero?'

Cinderella's fairy godmother ignored her suffering until she asked for a simple dress and acted as if that was the only thing she could have done. Lord Death manipulated the three brothers wishes so that the gifts he gave them, while fulfilling their wishes, eventually lead to their destruction. Even the wizard who actually did help muggles, went out of his way to make his hopping pot difficult for his son to manage.

Seriously, who in their right mind leaves a self-centred boy an heirloom that everyone knows will drive him batty?!

The answer is, a wizard.

Unfortunately for me, witches and wizards are real, as well as a plethora of other magical creatures. Most little girls in the stories would have been over the moon to learn their WHOLE FAMILY was made up of them! Or to discover that their ENTIRE WORLD revolves around magic.

I'm sure it would be a dream come true to learn they practically breathed the stuff.

But, nope, not me.

You see, I'm what the magical population lovingly refer to as a 'squib'. Basically, I don't possess a single magical bone in my body. (Well technically, I have the magic gene in my DNA. But it's utterly useless and just sits there, remaining dormant) Much like a muggle.

"Woohoo!" I say, "My destiny is mercifully free of pointy pitchforks, flaming stakes, and pureblood politics!"

Every day, I praise the heavens for giving me this gift of freedom!

No Wizengamot law can touch me and my squibby hands. While British law doesn't even know that I exist. (Since my pureblood Hufflepuff family doesn't technically exist in their world.) Wizard world and Muggle World have got nothing on me!

I'm like a living loophole, free to float between the systems as much or as little as I please.

Of course, I would be lying if I claimed it wasn't a bummer when I first found out. But it didn't exactly come as a surprise either. My family had long suspected something was up when, by six-years-old, I hadn't accidentally used magic subconsciously.

(like a witch would have)

Dad used to say, "She's just a late bloomer." With a shrug of his shoulders. "Her magic core is probably too small right now, that's all."

The years ticked by, I turned nine and STILL no signs appeared. Mum got scared and took my magicless ass to St. Mungo's Hospitalto see what was wrong. Potions were shoved down my throat, wands tapped and poked my body, spell after spell were cast on my person and SURPRISE!

Nothing was wrong with me.

"There must be a mistake," Mum exclaimed, "If she's healthy, then why are her powers not manifesting?"

The sad and apologetic looks the nurses gave us crippled my parents. Their whole world came crashing down around them, causing them to sob for weeks.

Honestly, they were completely over-reacting, crying and whining as if I'd died.

I mean, really?!

Everyone was acting as if not being part of the one percent magical human population was like a life sentence in Azkaban! Or the same as being kissed by a dementor!

Their magical brains just couldn't understand why I wasn't upset.

The magic gene still allows me to see spells and magical creatures. Potions still work fine, my body can handle hexes and charms just like anyone else, and I can use the floo network and portkeys without issue. The only real thing of significance that changed was my name being removed from the Ministry's pureblood registry.

"There must have been some kind of mistake," Mum decided one day, evidently my squibbiness was too much for her to handle. Dad latched onto that glimmer of hope too and together they jumped on the denial band-wagon, laughing their way into the sunset. "The Hogwarts letter will confirm you're a witch, I'm sure of it!" He proclaimed.

Of course, the evidence against this was so obvious even a blind man would have noticed!

Case and point, my little brother, Jonathan Smith.

He began accidentally using magic as soon as he shot out of the womb. A few wandless '_Wingarduim Leviosas' _here, a random '_Reducto'_ there and every inanimate object in the house became a living weapon. (All normal for a young wizard apparently)

One time, he was screaming his lungs out on the kitchen floor like a banshee and I stepped up as a volunteer. I took two steps toward his shaking form and 'BAM!' he hit me with a wandless '_Stupefy!'_ The little menace then proceeded to '_Accio'_ all the pots and pans and send them crashing into me with no remorse!

If I possessed magic, don't you think I would have used it then?

Not according to my blind parents. They chalked it up to the fact that I was suffering from a cold that week and therefore, my abilities were too dampened to use.

Which was obvious hippogriff dung.

A year later, my baby brother, Daniel Smith, joined the debate.

He had barely reached his first birthday and already his magic had manifested.

I'm sad to say, the amplifying charm was his specialty. Many sleepless nights followed after he got that one down. His high-pitched screams shook the house's foundations.

No amount of silencing wards could protect the neighbours from his wrath.

I once snuck him Dad's wand in hopes he would finally shut up. In hindsight, it was obviously the worst decision I could have made. One mismatched wand paired with one baby's temperamental magic and VOILA!

An unwanted '_Lumos Maxima'_ was produced and I was left blind for a week.

"Why didn't you use the wand to cast '_Nox',_ Sandra?" Dad had asked.

Rolling my unseeing eyes at him, I replied, "Gee Dad, I wonder why I didn't think of that? Oh wait, now I remember! IT'S BECAUSE I CAN'T USE MAGIC!"

"Don't say that," He said, "You are going to receive your Hogwarts letter any day now, I can feel it!" A tiny sliver of hope was reflected in his desperate tone. He was truly terrified of facing the 'horrid truth' of the matter.

Low and behold, I turned eleven and no Hogwarts letter came.

That's when I officially claimed my title as 'the only descendant of Helga Hufflepuff to be a squib.' One that made me an infamous disappointment to the wizarding world.

Just two days after the news broke, Grandma Hepzibah called upon the family council to handle the unfortunate situation. Every Aunty, Uncle and grand parent came out of the woodwork to discuss my fate. The Smiths, The MacMillans, even The Bloody Blacks showed up! Soon followed by cousins, second cousins and, my three times removed nephews and nieces!

If I had known I was going to be so popular, I probably would have put on a fancy dress.

Instead, I settled for an invisibility cloak.

Better safe than sorry when it comes to spying on witch and wizard affairs.

Anyway, pureblood tradition demanded I be disowned or killed straight away.

Thankfully the majority of my relatives are from Hufflepuff House.

(aka. the lovey-dovey tree huggers)

Meaning they weren't too keen on choosing either of those outcomes. Instead, the clever grown-ups came up with the brilliant idea of simply sending me away.

"We promise to visit once a month," Dad said, "Your mother and I will take turns, alright?"

And 'POOF!'

Just like that, I was whisked away.

Shackled to a fate worse than death… living with Grandma Hepzibah.

In short, she is my very own evil Queen. A complete and utter bonkers witch hell-bent on collecting every magical object there ever was. Her three-story mansion is packed to bursting with her precious treasures, each more expensive and dangerous than the next.

Calling her a 'hoarder' would be the understatement of the century!

"Umm, Sandra," You ask, "How does that make her an evil queen?"

I am SO glad you asked.

You see, when Hepzibah is out in public view, she appears as a Queen. Her beautifying robes come out, her golden wig is glued on, makeup is slathered across her wrinkles and enchanted silk slippers decorate her swollen feet. Add on goblin silver earrings, bracelets and necklaces, a touch of _Amortentia _filled perfume, and you've got yourself one trussed up show pony!

But, as soon as her audience leaves, her true colours emerge.

All enchantments are stripped away, leaving nothing behind but the fat, ugly old witch she truly is. Greed becomes her middle name and all her humility vanishes. Making her the perfect stereotypical villain out to get the hero.

Don't get me wrong though, I am NOT the beautiful princess in this fairy tale.

That honour goes to gentle Hokey, the house elf. (May the Lord bless her soul)

Leaving Sandra Smith as a random background character… YAY!

"Listen closely, child," Hepzibah had barked, "I will not be caught repeating myself! There are three rules you must follow at all times! Do you understand me?"

Barely two steps past the door and already the overweight Oompa Loompa was setting up house rules. Well, you can bet your lucky socks there was no way on earth I was going to follow them!

Rule Number One: DO NOT TOUCH THE ARTEFACTS!

Rule Number Two: DO NOT BE SEEN BY THE CLIENTS!

Rule Number Three: DO NOT BOTHER ME!

Ha! Clearly, the witch was stupid.

She expected me to live in her country mansion full to the brink with magical/cursed objects and NOT touch them? That's like asking a pixie not to fly or a baby not to cry.

"If you need anything, call Hokey and she will fulfil your request." Turning her nose up, she huffed in irritation. "Under no circumstances are you to come crying to me for assistance. If you're sick and dying, it's not my problem."

For the next two years, I MADE it _HER_ problem!

Fun Fact: Did you know that a squib can't be prosecuted for causing magical 'accidents'?

So… technically… if I were to 'accidentally' wear wizarding robes to my muggle school, it wouldn't be my fault for breaking the Statue of Secrecy.

The blame falls on my next of kin.

Unluckily for Hepzibah (as she is my current guardian) all the blame goes to her.

WOOHOO!

Ahhh, I can still remember the first time the Aurors showed up and Hepzibah got blamed for the 'mysterious incident' that had occurred at Blandstone Secondary School.

The local bully, Simon Says, had decided to pick me as his next victim. Of course, I couldn't really blame the guy. It's not every day a new kid arrives in bright yellow wizarding robes and freaks out when the posters don't move. Anyone in their right mind would have zoned in on the girl as an easy target!

Unfortunately for him, he somehow got a hold of a cursed necklace and proceeded to quack like a duck whenever he saw the blonde, blue-eyed-girl for the next 48Hrs.

Later, Auror Alexander Avery and Auror Thornton Trembley showed up with the Obliviator Squad and proceeded to undo all that day's fun. Simon's mind was wiped, the necklace was confiscated and I got pulled into the Principal's Office for questioning.

I must admit, my eleven-year-old self was pretty surprised to find two bushy-eyed newbies as my interrogators. All sense of fear vanished from my chest the moment they introduced themselves to be working for the 'Department of Magical Equipment Control'.

(Which, notably, has nothing to do with muggle/magic-related crimes.)

Auror Avery refused to make eye contact and called me "Daughter of Mr and Mrs Smith" throughout the entire interview.

Auror Trembley did slightly better, calling me "Ms Smith." But after he spat at my feet and '_scrugjified'_ HIS robes, I decided they were officially my secondary antagonists!

Sooo… one 'SupercaliFuckilisticKissMyAssadocious later, Hepzibah was fined fifty galleons and I got away with nothing but a solemn vow to NEVER EVER do it again, pinkie promise.

Which I totally kept and you can't prove otherwise!

It's a complete mystery to me how self-correcting ink ended up in the school's supply of fountain pens? The ball-point pens filled with sum-solving ink is a mystery too?

The rise of 'supernatural activity' at Blandstone Secondary School over the last two years has no correlation to the arrival of itty-bitty Sandy. The innocent squib girl is just as clueless as the Aurors and Police (Yes, you can quote me on that.)

Despite the lack of evidence, a week before my thirteenth birthday, my name rang out over the school intercom. So once again, I could be questioned in the principal's office about the schools latest 'supernatural event' surrounding my person.

"Collect your stuff, Sandy," Mr Mavis ordered, "Go straight there. Understood?"

Sighing about the repetition of it all, I shoved my books inside my bag and marched towards the door. Flicking my ponytail as I went.

"Sandy!"

Looking over my shoulder, I raised a brow at the history teacher. Taking this as a sign he had my full attention, he continued on.

"No dawdling this time, alright? I want you to walk straight there without detours!"

"I'll try my best, sir."

His eyes narrowed as he pressed his lips into a hard line. He clearly didn't believe a word coming out of my mouth. And rightly so, they didn't call me the legendary bullshitter for nothing! But as my birthday was so close at hand, I nodded my head and skipped out the door. He deserved a break from my shenanigans today anyway.

Strolling into the principal's office like I owned the place, I proudly sat behind the principles desk and kicked my feet up on the table.

"Thornton," I inclined my head in acknowledgment, "Alex."

Both Aurors folded their arms and hovered on the other side of the desk. Normally, a guest to the office took the two visitors seats. But, because they were currently occupied by my '_Stupified'_ Principle, I gave them a generous pass.

Besides, the two overworked wizards could conjure up their own seats if they really felt like it. They simply chose to tower over me as if that would increase their intimidation factor or something. (Spoiler Alert! It didn't.)

Alex was your just your average Joe, easily lost in a crowd. While Thornton had a tall-stick-like figure and bulging blue eyes that extended into his receding hairline. Not exactly the most impressive Aurors on the block, if you know what I mean.

"How can I help you two gentlemen today?" I asked, all business and no play.

Thornton scowled before pointing one spindly finger in my direction, "Well, you could start by not wasting our time."

Gasping in mock horror, my arms flew to my heart in shock. "I would never!"

Neither looked convinced.

"We received an alert of a magical disturbance at this location," Alex started, pulling out a freshly printed scroll. "Would you care to explain what exactly you did this time?"

Not missing a beat, I hit them with my most dazzling smile and widened my eyes, the perfect picture of innocence. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about?"

"Huh, just like you didn't know about the Dung Bombs?" Thornton asked, "Or the fountain filled with a love potion?"

Oh boy! Had that been a wild day! Nearly every student had locked lips and threw themselves into broom cupboards! It was like a renaissance painting come to life, except with horny teenagers instead of naked Greek gods.

"Or the Cornish pixie nest in the changing rooms and the rogue snitch in the GYM?"

Alright, so my record wasn't perfect.

There had been a few pranks gone wrong here and there. But could you really blame me? This bland school needed a resident prankster to spice things up. What kind off martyr would I be if I didn't offer my services in their time of need?!

Therefore, it is my responsibility to NOT get caught red-handed or the jig was up!

Alex and Thornton fell into silence, eyebrows raised with questioning expressions.

"Look," I said, "I have been telling you both for MONTHS that this school has a poltergeist problem. Instead of questioning me, you should be out there eradicating the culprit!"

"Of course, our mistake, Sandy," Thornton rolled his eyes, "That explains the numerous magical signatures floating between the classrooms perfectly."

Alex leaned his hip against the desk and let his gaze roam about the room. "Let me guess… cursed jewellery again? Or is it more of your illegally modified muggle objects at work?"

I shrugged, "The poltergeists have been busy. If they started tampering with muggle things, that's hardly my fault, right?"

The two men gave each other _The Look_ and the quick quotes quill emerged.

"Where were you at ten thirty-six today?" Alex asked, slipping into Auror Mode.

"Blandstone Secondary School, Art Class."

The quizzical look adorning Thornton's face was positively hilarious. I could only imagine the confusion he was must be in. 'Art class?' He would think, 'Muggles can paint without magic?' Followed by, 'That's impossible! What else could they be capable of!'

Oh, if only he knew.

"Did you perform magic in front of Muggles?" he continued.

"Nope."

"Then why did we detect a large insurgence of powerful magic being performed on your school grounds? Specifically, in the Art Block?"

"I wouldn't have a clue, sorry."

And that was true. I had never witnessed any of the students perform magic at the school. Everyone here was a muggle through and through! Buuuuuuut… that wasn't to say I hadn't seen objects perform feats of powerful magic at school…

If only their questions were more specific. Maybe they would have solved the mystery for once. Geez, it's too bad that particular question isn't in the Auror Interrogation Handbook.

"Come on Sandy," Thornton drew his wand and began tapping it against his bicep. "We already know it was you, so just tell us what happened and we can save the obliviators some trouble."

"Oh, But I would hate to leave you two with nothing to do all day! Merlin knows you don't leave your offices enough as it is," I said with a smile.

The sarcasm flew over Alex's head, "So, you admit you had something to do with it then?"

"I never said that."

"But you implied it! Meaning you do know what happened."

Honestly, now they were just putting words in my mouth. I raised my hands and sat back in my chair with a huff, "I didn't do anything, ok?"

"Alright, so what's the story? And before you start, save us the sob story and get to the point. We don't have all day."

That was unlikely.

Alex and Thornton made up two of the three Aurors in the Department of Magical Equipment Control. Since the war against Grindelwald had ended a decade ago, the poor sods were left with nothing to do except keep track of ancient magical artefacts. Which at this point, are all in the hands of either; The Goblins, private owners (Hepzibah) or The Unspeakables.

The 'Auror' part of their titles was really just code for; 'File Pushers.'

Suddenly, inspiration struck and a wicked little grin spread across my lips. If they wanted a story to report then a story they would get! Thank Circe for the gift of improvisation and creativity! Hallelujah!

"Ok fine," I said and sat up straight, "I was in the middle of my class presentation when I made a joke about how I used to be addicted to the hokey pokey but I turned myself around. When Hokey, my house elf, apparated to the back of the class, mistaking my words as a calling accidentally. Before any of my classmates spotted her, she popped back to the Mansion."

"AND?" They chorused in unison.

"And what?" I replied, "Hokey realized her mistake and disapparted. Problem solved!"

Thornton's eyebrows came together as his eyes closed to mull the story over.

My tall tale WAS plausible and it WAS a well-known fact that Hokey is well beyond her golden days. Of course, the Cup would've set off a much larger scale of magic than what a house elf would. However, because the Ministry Radar cannot tell the difference between elf, wizard, goblin, or any other types of magic, they have no logical way of pinning it on a squib. Therefore, it had to be elf magic it recorded or else it wouldn't make sense.

So, either, the Department of Magical Equipment Control had got it wrong. (Unlikely)

Or I had supplied them with false evidence. (Highly Likely)

BUT without the aid of a Legilimens, truth charms, or Veritaserum, they had no way to prove it. I can't provide them with memories for a pensieve either due to my Squib Status and they can't take me to court due to the same reason.

Muhahaha!

That's one point to Team Sandy and minus two points to Team Aurors!

Alex shook his head and pulled away from the desk. At the same time, Thornton pulled out of his musings and the two gave each other _The Nod._

"Was that all, Gentlemen?" I asked, rising from my seat.

Thornton raised his hand as if to say 'not so fast, missy' before clearing his throat and slapping a piece of parchment between us.

"Under clause 26: Dress Guidelines of the International Statute of Secrecy, I, Auror Thornton Trembly, hereby deem the daughter of Jebediah Smith and Gwen Smith nee Macmillan as guilty of breaking this decree. A fine of 20 Galleons will be issued to her current Guardian, Hepzibah Smith as of immediately."

Looking at the parchment, I let out a small huff. Thornton's chicken scratch he claimed as cursive hadn't gotten any easier to read in the past two years. I had to wonder if the misdemeanour would manage to be properly logged when no one could read it?

"Really boys? A clothing misdemeanour? That's like giving me a parking ticket when I don't own a car!"

As expected, Thornton ignored my pleas while proceeding to stuff the fine into an envelope and sending it off with a snap of his fingers.

You could bet it was landing in Hepzibah's lap right now.

If only it landed on her plate and spilt her tea, that would just make my day!

"Well," He said, "Now that everything's all sorted, you're free to go."

A hundred and one hackles sprung to mind about the injustice of it all. Meanwhile, Alex swaggered past the desk and over to the door like an over-confident peacock. He swung it open and bowed, a sly grin on his face.

"Ladies first," He crooned.

Not one to turn away from a patronising gesture, I straightened my shoulders, flicked my blonde ponytail and strode up to his side. His eyes widened in surprise as I gestured for him to go first, "After you then."

"Oh no, you first. I insist!" He countered.

"Thanks but no thanks, Alex. How could I live with myself if I denied an Auror their right to first passage?!"

"MERLIN'S BEARD!" Thornton yelled, (clearly patience is not a virtue at the ministry)

"If you, Sandra Smith, do NOT walk THROUGH that door in the next ten seconds, I WILL hex YOU!"

Rolling my eyes, I couldn't help but stick my tongue out at his enraged face. "Morgana! Don't get your knickers in a twist, I was only pulling your leg!"

Once again, Thornton's face twisted with confusion at my use of muggle lingo.

"You aren't touching my leg?" He frowned.

"Yeah!" Alex added, "And Wizards don't wear knickers!"

Yikes! That was not an image I wanted to see.

"It's just a figure of speech," I sighed, stalling for all it was worth. "You have heard of them before, right? Or do they not teach language features in English at Hogwarts?"

Confusion crossed both of their faces.

"Oh, that's right! They don't teach English as a subject. They have you learn more useful skills like staring into glass orbs and digging up plants instead."

"_Mobilicorpus!"_

In the blink of an eye, my body was flung onto the hallway floor and the office door was slammed shut with a 'BANG!'

Did I deserve to be chucked out? Yes, yes I did.

Was I happy about that? No, no I was not.

"Using magic on a non-magical being is a direct violation of decree 917 of the Statute of Secrecy!" I yelled at the door, "If you think I won't report you both to the Head of the DMLE, then you're dumber than a giant!"

(There is no such decree but, who cares! It sure sounded official)

Pulling out my somewhat illegally acquired invisibility cloak, I decided to go for a strategic retreat and high-tailed it out of there before you could say '_Accio! _

The brisk stroll to the gate was uneventful.

No one questioned why I was out and about without a hall pass, seniors with a free period were easily swerved past, and neither pixie nor poltergeist crossed my path.

It was a shame really.

Lunch was about to start which meant I had two hours to kill. Most of my friends headed home or walked down to the food vendors at the village square. The seniors usually all piled into the two or three cars present and drove off to the park for a quick cigarette.

It was practically social suicide to stay at school and brood in the cafeteria surrounded by the lower years.

Or good heavens, read in the library like a nerd!

Not me though.

I tended to spend my friday afternoons doing something more with my life. Like painting the boys' locker room pink with everlasting ink! Or chasing the wild gnomes into the Caretakers Shed! I had originally planned to swap out the schools softballs' with Quaffles today. But with Alex and Thornton liable to call in the Obliviator Squad just for the fun of it, all pending pranks were off the table.

"Spoilsports," I grumbled and let my feet start towards for the Mansion.


	2. The Hepzibah Mansion

**Welcome Back!**

**I do not promise that all my updates will be this quick... Expect to be waiting a long time for another ;P :)**

**However, do know that I am working on it right now! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in any way, shape or form. **

**Once again, SHOUT-OUT to SophieDark, my co-writer/Beta 3 Thankyou for all your advice and input!**

If Hepzibah was going to rip me a new one, it might as well be confined to a two-hour time frame. Muggle school was too important to be missed after all.

With a disappointed huff, I continued in the opposite direction of the town wishing I had something entertaining to do for the thirty-minute walk to the house.

Okay… I say it takes me thirty minutes but, in reality, that's only if I'm running AND I take the short cut across the marsh. If I took the proper path, it would take A WHOLE HOUR!

Why Hepzibah can't just make me a portkey, who knows?

Whenever I brought the topic up waaaaay back in my first month, she claimed that my body could use the exercise since it wasn't going to strengthen via magic. Another time, she said that creating a portkey across the marsh was impossible due to it being a magical dead-zone?! (P.S. there's no such thing)

Eventually, after I'd hounded her for the hundredth time, she set up a stinging ward to prevent my person from entering her office, bedroom and tea room!

"Fine! Be that way," I had yelled and promptly vowed to always take the shortcut home and stomp my muddy shoes all over her precious house!

Reaching said marsh, the invisibility cloak was packed away, my brown school shoes and white socks were swapped out for gumboots, my school skirt was hiked up, and my moleskine bag was tied around my wrist.

"It's your lucky day Sandy!" I said, "The rains have blessed you with a freshly created swamp, ponds, puddles and all. Frolic to your heart's content!"

By the time I stepped over the Mansion's threshold thirty minutes later, stinky brown mud coated my legs in thick, sloppy clumps.

Just as planned!

The sound of my footsteps echoing behind me served as inspiration as I let my feet zip across every walkable surface. The entryways armenian rug went first, followed by the two sitting rooms' coral and roman themed furs. A hop, skip and a jump lead to the grand staircase and I began to dance my way up the stairs, moving to an unheard rhythm all the way. When I reached the top, I turned to admire my handywork.

The entire grand staircase was now newly decorated with my cha cha footwork. While the main hallway's enchanted floorboards sported the remnants of my rock n roll routine.

By now I was running out of mud…

Oh well! There was only one more room left to ruin anyway!

Can you guess which room is the most precious to dear old Hepzibah?

WRONG! It's The Ballroom, Baby!

As I reached my last target, a soft 'POP' filled my ears.

"Mistress Sandy!" Hokey cried, "What is you doing?"

"Hokey! I'm so glad you're here! Where is Hepzibah? I've got a surprise for her."

The sweet little elf looked from my gumboots to the trail of mud and frowned.

"Mistress Hepzibah is in the Greenhouse. Will Hokey be cleaning floors?"

I shook my head and winked, "No thank you Hokey, this is part of the surprise!"

Walking to the centre of the beautiful mosaic of a floor, I crouched down as if preparing for the Olympic hundred metre dash. The only mud left on me was past my upper shin, meaning a simple tap dance wasn't going to cut it.

It was time to unleash my secret technique!

"Watch this Hokey!" I called, "One… Two… Three, GOOOOOOOOOO!"

With a small 'whoosh', I sprinted as fast as I could before dropping to my knees and sliding across the marble floor with my hands in the air. "Woohoo! Hokey! You have to try this!" I slid to a stop on the other side of the room, a hair's width away from the wall. Not wasting a second, I jumped to my feet and prepared for another sprint.

"Mistress Sandy," Hokey stuttered, "You must come to the kitchen for lunch. Mistress Hepzibah has asked Hokey to keep Mistress Sandy away from the guest."

Ahh, of course. Rule Number Two: DO NOT BE SEEN BY THE CLIENTS!

How could I forget?

"Alright Hokey, just give me a sec!"

This was it, my last slide across the ballroom. Taking a deep breath, I crouched, tensed, held it for ten seconds, then... 'WHOOSH! My legs kicked off and I dropped to my knees, gliding across the floor with all the grace of a swan.

"Oh yeah! Hokey, did you see that? I think that was my best one yet!"

Good ol' Hokey nodded her head as I jogged on over. She gave me a small smile, no doubt relieved my adventure was over, before '_scrugifiying_' my person.

"Will Mistress Sandy be eating lunch now?"

Hmmm… follow Hepzibah's orders and eat in the hidden kitchen without a fuss… Or change out of my uniform, dress up in the most offensive muggle clothes possible and waltz into the Greenhouse?

Oh man, this is sooo tough! What kind of rebellious prisoner would I have to be to flounce my captors rules?

A wicked grin spread across my lips, this day was just getting better and better!

"Not now, Hokey. I need to go get changed and finish my homework," I said sweetly, "Could you send my lunch up to my room please? It might take a while."

The kind little elf eagerly flapped her ears and disappeared with a 'POP!'

If the evil queen was demanding I wear 'acceptable clothing', then she was going to have to charm them to my cold dead corpse! Her guest was never going expect to see a squib in the haughty purebloods home. Especially a young girl dressed in only the most provocative of muggle fashions!

Grandma Hepzibah's reputation would be broken beyond repair!

Oh, this was going to be good.

Not wasting another minute, I marched out the double decor doors and took a left down the hall. Luckily for me, the first floor was devoid of useless clutter, meaning there was little to nothing blocking my path to the 'forbidden' closet. It was the one and only storage space on this level.

'Why?' You ask.

Simply because it houses my favourite wizarding invention of all time, a vanishing cabinet. By themselves, the old closests are useless. But, when one has a twin located somewhere else, they become the easiest, most efficient way to magically travel.

Stepping inside, I shut the door and relaxed as the familiar push and pull of magic carried my body through the darkness before gently lowering me to my feet, now inside the cupboards twin.

The doors swung open and I was greeted with the sight of what one could generously call 'organised chaos'.

Did I forget to mention that every floor past the second is littered with stuff? Oops, I guess the hypocrisy of the downstairs illusion slipped my mind.

If this like my english lessons, Mrs Synonym would no doubt claim that the 'dual nature' of the antagonist is reflected in the two states of her house. "In public, the Witch comes across as beautiful, as does her first floor. However, underneath lies a grotesque hag. The remaining floors reflect this by being an utter mess."

'HAHA! If only,' I say.

Nah, the reason the mansion is beyond untidy has nothing to do with such nonsense. She's just a hoarder too afraid to disturb her little treasures, least they brake or go missing. (Hint: They always go missing)

It's a good thing she let me pick my own bedroom when I first arrived.

"Pick any room not on the first or second floor," She had said, "I don't want to be anywhere near your disgusting scent while I sleep!"

"Gladly," I spat back, "I don't want to be anywhere near YOUR fat ass either!"

I then proceeded to take over the attic loft and cristian it my own.

Stepping out of the cupboard, my feet rushed past the row of Goblin armour and took a right at the haunted mirror. Two minutes later, I arrived at the Kyanite statue of Lord Death, in between the paintings of Helga Hufflepuff and The Last Supper.

"Good day, Helga!" I waved at my ancestor, "What are you drinking today?"

The painted woman glanced down into the hufflepuff cup and frowned, "Orange juice, I'm afraid. I would have much preferred pumpkin juice or squash... Which one do you think is better? They are both coloured orange. But one is sweet while the other is savoury… Ah, I cannot make up my mind! What do you think, Sandy, my dear?"

"Sorry Helga, I'd love to stay and chat but I've got a party to crash!"

Before she could catch me in a round of twenty questions, my hand latched onto the reaper's scythe and twisted the blade to face east. The statue gladly slide aside and granted me passage through to the attic staircase.

The funny thing about hidden stairs is that they are ALWAYS narrow, steep, and cold.

Mine was no exception, one had to be as fit as a fiddle to reach the top!

"Honey! I'm hooome!" I stepped into the loft, threw my bag on the floor and made a beeline for my wardrobe.

I had an abundance of clothes stuffed into the poor thing. The old expansion charm was barely keeping itself together at this point.

"Hmmm," The doors swung open and I stepped inside, "A white blouse… a yellow cardigan… saddle shoes and white socks...AHA!"

My eyes fell upon my most prized skirt.

It was all the rage right now, a black pleated mini skirt! The item was banned at school and all the muggle newspapers labelled it as 'immodest' and 'unlady like'. Only the coolest of the cool were brave enough to wear it in public. The utter outrage that followed them was enough to deem the wearer a 'whore' for life!

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly why I was going to wear it.

All I needed now was the perfect plan to maximise Hepzibah's humiliation…

But, what to do?

The Greenhouse was located at the back of the rose garden. There was only one path leading from it to the house and the whole thing was warded with detection charms. Meaning, there was NO WAY I could unleash a sneak attack on the old witch while she was in the garden drinking her bloody tea!

That left only two options.

Plan A: Wait in the Atrium and get her when she re-enters the house from the garden.

Plan B: Hide in the entryway and get her when she escorts the guest to the front door.

Hmmm… both were good options with a high chance of success… however, if I went with Plan A, Hepzibah would become suspicious and most likely discover my mud bomb too early… Plan B would mean I had to wait longer… But seeing my outfit combined with all the muddy floors had the best WOW factor!

Okie dokie, Plan B it is.

Pulling on my new outfit, I quickly ran my hairbrush through my ponytail and grabbed my handy dandy two-way mirror. (I had placed its twin in the Greenhouse ages ago.)

'How come?' you ask.

To spy on her meetings of course!

Rule Number Three: DO NOT BOTHER ME! Was the dumbest rule of them all. BUT, it was also the hardest one to break. The villainess, in a rare stroke of genius, had gotten into the habit of casting '_Mufflio' _whenever she was talking with a guest or just talking in general.

To counteract her move, I made one of my own and placed the mirror in her favourite tea spot and a spying painting in her office before she re-set the stinging wards. I kept the mirrors twin and painting counterpart in my room. Allowing me to spy on her whenever I damn well pleased!

I know, I know, it was a sneaky move on my part and I'm sure mum and dad would be ashamed. But unlike Jonathan and Daniel, who could just cancel the charm, I couldn't! So, what was I supposed to do?

Let her win?!

NOT IN A MILLION YEARS!

I left my room and scuttled back the way I'd come.

Placing myself in the dining room, I got settled in behind the door. From here, I had a perfect view of the front door and the echo from the hallway would alert my ears when my target was closing in.

"Okay Sandy, you've got this!" I whispered, "Do it just like you practiced!"

Settling into position, I pulled out my mirror and was greeted with the tiny sight of the one and only bitch witch. She was decked out in her pink royale get-up, complete with a ginger wig and fake beauty spot. A china tea cup sat perched on her lips as her fake eyelashes fluttered flirtatiously at her guest, annoyingly out of view.

"Well, what's your excuse for visiting this time?" She preened.

Another voice, barely audible, spoke up, "Mr Burke would like to make an improved offer for the Goblin-Made Armour. Five Hundred Galleons, he feels it is more than fair-"

Ugh! The meeting had only JUST started!? This was going to take forever...

Two minutes past… nothing happened.

Five minutes past… Hepzibah refilled her teacup.

Seven minutes past… Hokey brought in scones.

Ten minutes past… My legs began to cramp.

FINALLY, after the longest fifteen minutes of my entire life, two black boxes popped into view followed by the loudest girly giggle known to man. I squinted at the mirror and instantly recognised the boxes as the containers for the selfish coot's most prized possessions, Helga Hufflepuff's Cup and Salazar Slytherin's Locket.

"Can you keep a secret Tom?" She crooned, "Will you promise not to tell Mr Burke I've got it? He'd never let me rest if he knew I'd shown it to you, and I'm not selling!

Not to Mr burke, not to anyone!"

You can bet your big toe she wasn't going to sell the cup!

That enchanted gold goblet had been handed down to Helga's firstborn descendents for generations. It rightfully belonged to ME! If she sold that thing, I'd murder her myself!

"But you, Tom," She continued, "You'll appreciate it for its history, not how many galleons you can get for it…"

Judging by the way Tom's eyes lit up with greed as he entered the mirror's view, I highly doubt he wasn't going to tell his big bad boss about this…

Her guest was Tom Riddle, for heaven's sake! The bloke not only possessed the gift of the gab AND drop dead gorgeous looks, he had been visiting this mansion for months now, all in search for those specific artefacts!

'How do I know this?' You ask.

The same way I know a Banshee is going to scream. He works for BORGIN AND BURKES! Why else would a talented guy like Tom waste his time on Hepzibah if not to garner her most valuable objects?

It's common sense.

Oblivious to her impending doom, Hepzibah lent forward in her seat and clutched the two boxes tightly in her talons. "I think you'll like this one, Tom," she whispered, "Lean in a little, dear boy, so you can see…"

Lean in? LEAN IN? What was this! Hansel and Gretel?!

Who would be desperate enough to actually go along with this awful charade!

Oh, wait...I had my answer.

Like a good little actor, 'dear tommy' leant forward and gazed at the boxes in wonder.

The whole scene was so comically dramatic, I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling.

"Of course, Mr Burke knows I've got this one," She continued, an evil twinkle in her eye, "I bought it from him and I daresay he'd love to get it back when I'm gone…"

(No doubt, Mr Burke wanted everything the hoarder owned once she passed on)

The lid slid open and the choir of heaven awed at the emerald encrusted golden locket. It sat proudly on top of the box's red velvet interior and seemed to glow with glory against the midday sun.

"Slytherin's mark," Tom hummed as he grasped the lost heirloom.

"That's right!" Hepzibah-here-comes-a-monologue-Smith cried, "I had to pay an arm and a leg for it, but I couldn't let it pass, not a real treasure like that, had to have it for my collection. Burke bought it, apparently, from a ragged-looking woman who seemed to have stolen it, but had no idea of its true value. I daresay Burke paid her a pittance, but there you are."

MERLIN'S BEARD! When was she going to shut up!

By now, my poor legs had gone numb, my back ached, my head hurt and my stomach would not stop growling. I had to question why in Circe's name I had chosen this spot to camp out?! I could have been sitting on my bed right now, eating lunch. Or sitting at the dining table, eating lunch. Or, heck, anywhere else in the mansion, EATING LUNCH!

Damn… the things I do for revenge.

"Pretty isn't it?" She droned on, unaware she no longer had Mr Riddle's attention. "And again, all kinds of powers attributed to it, though I just keep it nice and safe…"

Without waiting for a reply, she plucked the locket out of Tom's hand and placed it back inside the box. For a split second, his eyes flashed red at the loss and my heart skipped a beat!

How had he done that?

Red eyes were not normal for a wizard… they were a sign of a corrupted magical core, usually caused by excessive exposure to Dark Magic…

My body froze as an ominous feeling of dread wound around my throat.

"Now, I think you'll like this Tom," She tucked the first box under her arm and pulled forth the second. "Oh, if my family knew I was showing you…" A pause for dramatic effect, (not that the situation needed it) "They can't wait to get their hands on this!"

WAIT. A. MINUTE.

Was she about to show a stranger Helga Hufflepuff's Cup?

Because she knows I know she knows that doing that is wrong and against Helga's wishes! That vain monster wanted to commit the biggest taboo known to our family!

Even I wasn't that rebellious!

Sure enough, Hepzibah pushed her responsibilities aside and opened the box.

Silence rained.

They both stared at the empty box.

"..."

One thought raced through my brain, 'Oh shit!'

"Hokey, where is the cup?" the witch's voice was completely calm.

Oh shit! Oh shit! Oh shit! SHE IS GOING TO KILL ME!

An innocent Hokey blinked at her master, just as concerned about the strange reaction as I am. "Ummm," Her ears flopped up and down as if preparing to take off, "Hokey is not knowing? The cup was inside yesterday, Mistress Hepzibah."

Nobody moved.

This is bad! As in really, really, REALLY BAD!

I had taken the cup early this morning, snuck it out of the house and accidentally activated its magic during my art class presentation. After that fluke, I had hidden it inside my moleskin bag for safekeeping and had planned on returning it later tonight.

How was I supposed to know my evil granny was going to use it today?

If I did, I wouldn't have borrowed it in the first place!

"I see," Hepzibah replied softly, "Can you locate the cup for me please?"

Instantly, panic took over and I bolted to my room.

Down the hall, into the storage room, inside the cupboard, outside the cupboard, first right, second left, past Lord Death, up the stairs, through the door and TADAH!

Lying in the middle of my bedroom floor sat my moleskin bag.

I dove to the ground and clutched it to my chest like a mad man!

"Hide, hide, hide…" My eyes frantically searched the room for the perfect hiding place. Somewhere the bag and the cups magical signatures' could be smothered! Somewhere Hokey, Hepzibah and Tom would NEVER think to look...

"Come on, Sandy!" I cried, "What's powerful enough to mask magic from magic?"

A ward?

An object?

A person?

… what about a human shield…?

The idea was absurd! Absolutely bonkers! But, it just might be crazy enough to work…

Sitting up, my hands latched onto the bag's drawstrings and began tugging. Pull by pull, the bag shrunk in my hands until it was no larger than a marshmallow.

"Here goes nothing!" I shut my eyes, opened my mouth and swallowed the bag whole.

'POP!'

Hokey appeared at the door, a confused expression on her face.

"Hello, Hokey!" I smiled, "Can I help you with something?"

The ancient elf surveyed the room before stopping on my stomach.

Neither of us moved.

Silently I chanted, 'Please work, please work, please work!'

One agonizing minute past before Hokey broke the tension. "Hokey is sorry, Mistress Sandy. Mistress Hepzibah tell Hokey to find the Hufflepuff Cup but Hokey not find it…" she trailed off, voice fading as she roughly tugged at her ears.

"Oh? Is it not inside its box?" I questioned, faking a look of surprise.

"No," She whispered, "Hokey sensed the cup in Mistress Sandy's room..."

I held my breath.

"But the cup is not here."

A bout of giggles threatened to bubble up to the surface as I sat there, utterly speechless.

"Sorry to be disturbing you, Mistress Sandy," The tiny heroine gave a small bow before vanishing with a 'POP!'

Relief washed over my shoulders like a tidal wave and all tension melted away. My plan had worked! My incredibly idiotic plan had freakin' worked, haha!

Ten points to Team Sandy, minus five points to Team Hepzibah!

Bouncing to my feet, I danced around my room laughing and twirling in joy. I jumped onto my bed and brought my two-way mirror back out to revel in my victory.

It was time to watch the show!

"I am terribly sorry, Tom dear," The witch grovelled, "This is all my grand-daughters fault. She suffers from kleptomania, you see? Just cannot keep her sticky fingers to herself! The impudent brat was too much for my darling son, I have only recently begun caring for her."

What a load of crap!

She's the kleptomaniac, not me!

"But this! " The worm continued, "Stealing my family's sacred artefact, why, she must be punished immediately! Hokey, call her down at once! I will not let her continue to blemish the Hufflepuff Legacy! Not while I am head of this family-"

Yeah right, if anyone was 'blemishing' Helga's Legacy, it was her.

Just as the slimeball rose to her feet, Tom's soothing voice cut through her third monologue of the day.

"There is no need for that, Mrs Smith," He placed a hand on her puffy shoulder and tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Why don't you sit down? I'm sure the child is not worth your immediate attention."

In an instant, the flustered peacock had returned to her serene state and was once again sipping tea. "Oh, how rude of me, do forgive this woman, Tom, I don't know what came over me? Of course you deserve my full devotion."

Yuck!

Devotion? To Tom Riddle? All she needed now was for the man to whip out a bloody ring and her fantasy would be complete!

"Thank you, you're too kind," He soothed.

A violent blush burst past her make-up, dying her cheeks as red as a tomato.

"Oh, you tease me, Tom!" She spluttered, trying and failing to hide her face. "Hokey! Refill the teapot, our guest and I have much to discuss."

Hokey and the treasured tea-pot dissapparated to the kitchen. Ruining my hopes and dreams for the meeting to remain entertaining, Ugh!

"_Avada Kedavra!"_

...huh?... what… is she?... No, that's…

Hokey apparated back into the room, carrying a fresh pot of tea.

"_Confundus!"_

The cutlery fell to the ground and smashed into a million pieces.

Hokey stood stock still, eyes unblinking.

… were they... Why?… I don't…

Tom Riddle calmly reached down and plucked Slytherin's Locket from its box. His eyes burned bright red as the emeralds glittered in the sunlight. He tucked it into his pocket and pointed his wand at Hokey's head.

"_Legilimens!"_

I couldn't believe what was happening before me. My only true friend in this house stood as still as a statue while Tom riffled through her head. When he was finished, the kind soul dropped to the floor, her head held in her hands, tears streaming down her face.

"What has I done?" She wept, "Mistress Hepzibah, hokey is very very sorry!"

...had he just?... how could he... the monster!

"_Reducto!"_

My two-way mirror exploded in my hands, bursting out in a thousand little pieces!

Immediately, I jumped away and cradled my bleeding hands to my chest. My head spun and my heart ached as what just happened truly sunk in.

Grandma Hepzibah is dead… killed!... by Tom Riddle…

He is a Legilimens, He had done something to Hokey. I am all alone!

There is a mind-reading murderer in the mansion AND I'M ALL ALONE!

"He's going to kill me…," I whispered, "I have to get out of here!"

I flung open my bedroom door and ran.

Sights and sounds blurred into mush as my brain frantically searched for a way out.

There were the doors, the first-floor windows, the fireplace in the sitting room and the second-floor portkey room! But I'm on the top floor, four stories away from the majority of those!

What should I do? WHAT SHOULD I DO?

"Come on, Sandy! THINK!" I whispered furiously.

"Sandra Smith, there is no need to run," Riddle's voice floated down the hallway, "I mean you no harm, so please, stop this childish game of Hide and Seek. You're only wasting my time and your own."

My body froze… it sounded like he was just around the corner! But how was that possible? I had only just reached the end of the Goblin Hallway! He should still be in the Atrium!? He had to be, or else...

"Come on out, Sandra," He continued, his voice inching closer and closer, "I only seek Helga Hufflepuff's Cup. Give it to me and I promise to leave you unharmed."

A soft 'CLICK, CLACK' echoed out from the other end of the hallway. It was growing louder and louder, closer and closer...

"There you are, my dear Sandra. Or do you prefer Sandy? You'll have to forgive me, I am unaware of present-day muggle speaking habits."

I spun around in utter shock. There, standing right behind me, was Tom Riddle.

That meant there was only one thing left to do… Bluff.

"Mr Riddle!" I clapped my hands together and flashed him my best smile. "I am so glad we found one another so quickly! I fear running around this mansion would be a waste of precious time for us both, don't you think?"

The murder chuckled and twirled his wand playfully through his fingers. "Indeed," He purred, "It is fortunate I found you so quickly. Or else we might have risked passing each other in the halls."

His implication was clear, '_I know you were trying to escape.'_

Well, two could play at that game!

"That would have been most unfortunate," I replied, "Let us thank Merlin that you were blessed with the skills to avoid that outcome."

My own implication was plain and simple, '_Damn straight I was! And you CHEATED!'_

"I merely used what was mine to command, Sandra. Now, on to more civil matters, are you in possession of Helga Hufflepuffs Cup?"

Translation: '_I am a wizard and you are a squib! Give me the cup or else…'_

"Why, yes, I do happen to know its location," I folded my arms and crooked an eyebrow, "Although, I'm not sure why you, as a non-descendent, feel the need to have the family heirloom in your possession?"

'_It's mine, not yours! Let's make a deal or else you aren't gonna get it! _

Riddle's eyes flashed red as he sneered, "That is none of your concern."

A wave of nausea rose up my throat and my legs trembled. For all my experience in waltzing with Aurors and foxtrotting with Police, doing the same with a murderer was like engaging in a verbal sparring match to the death!

"Oh? I think it is, Mr Riddle," I took a deep breath, preparing to take a risk, "After all, the death of Hepzibah is going to need more than the confession of Hokey… A witness statement can go far in diverting suspicion, don't you agree?"

A.K.A. '_I saw what you did, you bastard! But, I'm willing to cover it up if you let me live."_

Riddle hummed in thought.

… One second… Two seconds… Three seconds…

"I think not."

The monster flicked his wand and hissed. A flash of purple lightning sprung to life! It sizzled through the air, cackling and wailing in hysterics.

I didn't stand a chance.

The curse hit my chest point blank, electrifying my skin with the wrath of Morgana!

"AHHHHHHH!," I screamed at the top of my lungs as inch by inch a burning fire consumed my senses.

"You best let go of that notion of yours, Sandra. You see, a filthy little squib like you never stood a chance against me. I, the Heir of the noble Salazar Slytherin, am equal to no other!" Tom wrapped his hand around my neck and scowled, "Especially not a worthless nobody who should not exist."

As my body burned in the flames of unseen hellfire, tears still managed to spring to my eyes at his foul words.

"Go to-" The words choked up in my throat as his hand tightened.

Pure terror took over and I became an animal, clawing, screaming, and kicking until he threw me to the floor. On instinct, I began scrambling away as my eyes flew around the hall looking for an exit. To my left, there was a vanishing cabinet. To my right, the six sets of goblin armour… WAIT! SEVEN? Hadn't there been TWELVE before?

I shook my head and looked again. FIVE? The sets are vanishing!

"Trying to escape, my dear?" Riddle chuckled, "We both know I'm not going to let you leave, Sandra. You still have something of mine and I would like it back. Now, where is it? Do not make me ask twice!"

My back hit the wall as a hex slammed into my leg, shattering the bone.

"_Ligilimens!"_

Memories of my day pushed to the forefront of my mind. The Cup in class, the cup in my moleskin bag, Hepzibah asking for the Cup, my spur of the moment actions of shrinking the bag/Cup and swallowing it.

"You…" The man was speechless and just for a second, his curse faltered.

It was more than enough.

I reached out and grabbed onto the nearest Goblin-Armour. The tiniest smile spread across my lips as my most well-thought-out come-back sprang into my head.

"Wingardium Levifuckyou!" I whispered and swirled away with a 'BANG!'


End file.
